Six Summers to Fall

by C.W. Farnsworth

Time only heals if you acknowledge its passing. Grief has no finite measure.

Up until last night, I hadn’t seen Harper Williams in ten years. Her love life—anything about her life—is none of my damn business. So what if I thought she was hot in high school and she’s gorgeous now? It doesn’t matter that she intrigued me then and fascinates me now.

“It’s a tragedy, Harper. And tragedies never make any sense. They’re just weights we have to live with.”

“Are you going to kiss me?” I put it right out there, certain we’re both thinking it. “Depends,” he answers. “Depends on what?” “Is it part of this fake date to the wedding thing, or is it just us?” He doesn’t wait for a response, probably because the answer is written all over my face. There’s no one to see this. Whatever we say here—whatever we do—is a secret between us.

But I’m thinking everything about that kiss. Because it felt extraordinary, not normal. It felt like a beginning. Like a world-wrecker. Like a final first kiss. And I’ve never, ever thought that before.

At this point in my career, I’ve seen hundreds of people wear my jersey. Maybe thousands. But this feels very different. This is the person I could see taking my last name, not just wearing it.

“I only called you Sunshine ironically once,” he tells me. “Every other time, it’s been because that’s how I feel around you. Bright and happy. Being around you makes me so fucking happy, Harper.” “I’m falling in love with you,” I whisper. His fingers continue playing with my hair, my favorite smile appearing. “Good. I’ve been falling for a while, baby.”

“I fell in love with you during your dance routine to that Spice Girls song,” he tells me. “And then again, when I saw you in that pink bikini. When you dropped that lime. When we kissed for the first time. When you caught that fish. When we danced at Amelia’s wedding. When you showed up at my game, wearing my jersey. And I’ll fall in love with you a thousand more times.”

It took us six summers to fall. And at the end was this. A lifetime of love.